About 8 in 10 of the fathers surveyed said they always knew they wanted to have children and 69 percent of them said that desire to have children was an important factor in their decision to have kids, according to the AP’s poll.

Men who do not have children were on par with childless women in saying they wanted them someday. A vast majority of men under age 35 are either already dads or say they would like to have children someday.

Men were more likely than women, however, to say the main reason they’d like to become dads is to carry on traditions or family history.